


Coffee and Ice Cream

by Orangepencils



Series: To Do Lists [5]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, Family Dynamics, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 12:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5828371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orangepencils/pseuds/Orangepencils
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack wonders if his dad hasn't found the key to happiness. </p><p>Or Bob likes to take Alicia out on coffee and ice cream dates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee and Ice Cream

**Coffee and Ice Cream**

 

If Jack really thinks about it – thinks long and hard – his first memories are of his mother. During his formative years, his father was still very much involved with the hockey world and his mother stayed at home to take care of him.

 

If he really thinks about it, it’s her warm smile and soothing voice that he remembers. Her comforting hold on him and her eyes full of love. It’s two am nightmares and calming backrubs to lull him back to sleep. Pillow forts, swordfights, and lots of make-believe.

 

It didn’t take long for Jack to take it for granted that his father wasn’t always home. It was the truth of the matter. His father was a busy man and because it was the norm, Jack never really questioned it. It didn’t mean he never got fussy when his father had to leave, but he didn’t mind spending time with his mother only either. Plus, his mom was cool.

 

Or, at least, that’s what his mom tells him. He doesn’t really remember much of his first years.

 

Jack has individual memories of his parents. He remembers time spent with his Mom and other spent with his Dad.

 

If he thinks hard enough, his first real memory of the two of them together is probably coming down to watch cartoons, one Saturday morning, and finding his parents in the kitchen.

 

He doesn’t remember how old he was, or what the weather was like, but he remembers the look on his parents’ faces. He remembers the way his Dad was half-leaning on his Mom, hugging her from behind and the way his Mom had her shoulders pressed back, looking up at his Dad. He knows his Mom was baking something – what though, he can’t recall.

 

Jack remembers the way his Mom’s face lit up with a smile and the completely in love expression on his Dad’s face. The warmth that radiated off both their faces was something poets wrote about.

 

He was still a boy and he still found his parents’ doing “grown-up” stuff to be gross, but he supposed it was nice.

 

As he grows up, his cognitive memory gets better and he remembers more.

 

\--

 

He knows he wants to be a hockey player, when he’s older, just like his Papa and sometimes, he wonders if he’ll be able to have what his Dad has.

 

Jack sees his Dad with his Mom and he wonders if someone will ever look at him like that. He sees his Mom’s entire face light up when his Dad walks into the room and he wonders if he’ll ever find someone who will do that to him.

 

He wonders.

 

Jack isn’t stupid. He knows hockey is his goal. He knows he has to work hard. His Dad tells him every time he mentions he wants to be a player, just like him. And his Dad tells him that hockey comes with sacrifice.

 

Jack knows.

 

Jack is ready.

 

He can’t wait.

 

Sometimes, during the off-season, he watches old tapes from his Dad’s games. His Mom has all of them. She used to record his games, when she couldn’t watch, and she kept them. For sentimental reason, or something.

 

If anything, it’s good material for Jack.

 

Jack watches the interviews as well. He sees the change in his Dad. From before he met his Mom and after. His Dad looks happy. There’s a twinkle in his eye that has more to do with feelings and less about his growing number of cup rings.

 

Jack wonders if he’ll be that happy, when he’s older. He figures he will. He’ll be playing hockey. He’ll be good. Real good. Better than his Dad. He’ll win all the Stanley Cups. He’ll beat all the records. People will wear _his_ jersey. Not his Dad’s. People will say that Bob Zimmermann was nothing like his son. Not how Jack was nothing like his Dad.

 

\--

 

Even after his Dad retires, he still keeps in shape. Jack learns everything about keeping fit from his Dad. He follows his advice to the word. If it worked for his Dad, it’s bound to work for him.

 

His Dad’s favourite thing to do is jogging. Whenever he can, his Dad hits the outside for a good jog. Winter like summer like spring like autumn. It doesn’t matter. His Dad jogs. It’s his thing. There was even an article about it once. His Dad says it helps clear his mind and the scenery is nice. Jack knows what he means. He feels the same.

 

On weekends, when both his parents are home and he is old enough to stay alone, his Mom goes jogging with his Dad. His Mom says it’s to keep herself in shape, but Jack suspects it has more to do with spending time with his Dad.

 

His Dad once told him, shortly after his thirteenth birthday, that the secret to making a girl happy was to make her happy. Jack thought it was the dumbest thing his Dad had ever told him, but he kept the thought to himself.

 

However, he did ask what his Dad did to make his Mom happy and his Dad had earnestly replied with “coffee and ice cream.”

 

If the world knew what “Bad Bob Zimmermann” did to keep his wife happy, they would laugh.

 

But – maybe his Dad is right.

 

\--

 

After every jog, his parents detour to either the local coffee shop close by, or the ice cream parlour, depending on the season, and his Dad, without a fault, treats his Mom to either one. Jack knows. His Mom told him once.

 

No matter what, his Dad always insists on paying and his Mom thinks it’s endearing. Sometimes, Jack wonders if their first date was at a coffee shop or an ice cream parlour. He honestly wouldn’t be surprised. But – he thinks it’s nice that his parents have this quiet side to them. Their names are glamorous enough. It’s good they have something simple like coffee and ice cream. That they can be just Bob and Alicia. Alicia and Bob.

 

Jack wonders if that’s the key to their happiness – ice cream and coffee.

 

He wonders if he’ll get to do the same.

 

But, after he wins the Cup.

 

Plus, kissing is still gross. Even when his parents do it.

 

But it’s reassuring. That his parents still love each other. Because, well, his teammate Loïc’s parents divorced last summer and well, it was a big fight, apparently. And Loïc can’t play anymore, because his Dad moved and apparently Mrs. Dubois owed money to the bank.

 

Jack knows that he doesn’t want his parents to divorce. So he’ll take their quiet “discreet” kissing over shouting any old time.

 

\--

 

Sometimes, after a good hard game, if both his parents come to see him play, they’ll go for frozen yogurt. Jack likes it better. His parents sit together and share a small bowl and Jack can see his Mom feed a spoonful to his Dad. He sees his Mom purposely miss his Dad’s mouth so that his Dad has frozen yogurt on his nose.

 

He sees how his Dad laughs.

 

He sees how his Mom looks at his Dad, all fond.

 

He sees how his Dad looks at his Mom.

 

He sees how they are both so in love with one another.

 

He wonders again if he’ll ever look at someone with the same expression. If he’ll ever get frozen yogurt for someone.

 

He wonders if he can have the success and the special someone. Like his Dad. Like his Mom.

 

Jack worries he can’t.

 

**FIN**

**Started typing: December 17 th 2015, 9h22pm**

**Finished typing: December 17 th 2015, 10h51pm**

 


End file.
